Can Children's Multivitamins Help Kids Who Have Failure to Thrive

Children’s multivitamins are often prescribed to kids who have been diagnosed with failure to thrive (FTT). This is a common condition that can often be corrected with prompt diagnosis and intervention to prevent malnutrition and developmental problems.

Both medical and social factors often contribute to FTT. However, it is often not identified unless there is careful attention to plotting of growth parameters at routine checkups.  Typically a child who has been diagnosed with failure to thrive need additional calories and nutrients provided in children’s multivitamins to catch up in growth.

There are both organic and nonorganic classifications of FTT. The medical disorder can be caused by feeding problems, family stress, inadequate absorption, excess metabolic demand, or defective utilization. Very often, stress and psychosocial factors contribute to FTT.

The first action when FTT is suspected is to identify the underlying cause and correct it. This can be managed by nutrition intervention, including the introduction of children’s vitamin supplements, as well as feeding behavior modification. Some medical experts recommend choosing a children’s multivitamin with zinc as the mineral helps to reduce the energy cost of weight gain during catch-up growth.

The condition is very important to treat because there are serious consequences to not treating it such as short stature, behavior problems, and developmental delays. Early diagnosis is optimal, and with the correct course of treatment, there is a good chance of a good outcome.

If you suspect that your child may be suffering from FTT, it’s important to seek a physician’s care. They can provide you with the best advice and will often recommend a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates the help of a nurse, dietician, social worker, and psychologist. A recommendation of children’s vitamin supplements and a high calorie diet is usually also prescribed.  Learn more about Failure to Thrive.

Can Children’s Vitamin Supplements Prevent Fall Colds and Flu?

Did you know that the average school age child gets six to 10 viral illnesses each year? And, most of these occur in the fall and winter months. While getting an illness about once a month isn’t all that uncommon for kids, there are strategies you can take, such as giving children’s vitamin supplements that can help reduce both the frequency and the duration of viruses such as colds and flu.

First, let’s look at where kids pick up these viruses. Obviously, those who are around other children (school, daycare, siblings), are going to naturally be exposed to more viruses than those who aren’t. But, this doesn’t mean that it makes sense to keep your child away from others. Instead, it means enlisting a variety of smart preventative strategies to minimize exposure and encourage a healthy immune response.

Children’s Vitamin Supplements
Children’s vitamin supplements are a quick and easy way to bump up your child’s immunity to viruses by ensuring that their nutritional requirements are being met. While not that long ago, the quick fix was to simply give large quantities of vitamin C, new research has shown that balanced vitamin supplements for kids are the best formula for fighting off seasonal viruses. The best options for kids’ vitamin supplements are those that are organic and sugar-free such as Animal Parade Chewable from Nature’s Plus.

Regular Hand Washing
Getting your child in the regular habit of washing his or her hands can also go a long way in preventing the spread of germs and viruses. This should include washing hands before every meal and when coming in from playing outdoors.

A Regular Sleep Schedule
Sleep is essential for kids throughout the year, but particularly during the months when viruses are prevalent. All the children’s vitamin supplements in the world cannot make up for getting a restful night of restorative sleep. School aged children need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep each night. So, staying up and watching TV or playing video games until midnight is definitely not a good strategy when it comes to fighting off viruses.

Rest When Symptoms Start
Taking one day off to rest at the start of a cold can often help prevent symptoms from worsening. And, it can help minimize the chance of other children acquiring the virus, too!

There’s nothing fun about being sick. Fortunately, using smart strategies like washing hands and taking daily children’s vitamin supplements can go a long way towards reducing the number of illnesses and the number of missed school days.